517 research outputs found
Radiation-induced changes in the export of photoassimilated carbon /|nBarry Jess Shelp. -- 260 0 St. Catharines, [Ont. : s. n.],
Low levels of ionizing radiation induce two
translocation responses in soybean: a reduction in
photoassimilate export from leaves and a change in the
distribution pattern of exported photoassimilate within
the plant. In this investigation these responses have
been further studied specifically to ascertain the site
of radiation damage and to better understand the
physiological responses observed.
Experimentally the primary data was obtained from
studies in which a mature trifoliate leaf of a young soybean
plant (Glycine ~ L. cultivar Harosoy '63) is
isolated in a closed transparent chamber and allowed to
photoassimilate 14C02 for 15 minutes. This is followed
by an additional 45 ~_il'1;ute period before the plant is
sectl.o ne d an d 14 C-ra dl' oactl.v.l ty d eterml. ne d'l n a 11 parts.
Such 14c data provides one with the magnitude and distribution
pattern of translocation. Further analyses were
conducted to determine the relative levels of the major
photosynthetic products using the techniques of paper
chromatography and autoradiography. Since differences between control and irradiated
P 1 ants were not 0 b serve d l' n t h e par tl't"lo nlng 0 f 14 C
between the 80% ethanol-soluble and -insoluble fractions
14 or in the relative amounts of C-products of photosynthesis,
the reduction in export in irradiated plants
is not likely due to reduced availability of translocatable
materials.
Data presented in this thesis shows that photoassimilate
export was not affected by gamma radiation
until a threshold dose between 2.0 and 3.0 krads was
reached. It was also observed that radiation-induced
damage to the export process was capable of recovery in
a period of 1 to 2 hours provided high light intensity
was supplied.
In contrast, the distribution pattern was shown
to be extremely radiosensitive with a low threshold dose
between .25 and .49 krads. Although this process was also
capable of recovery,lt" occurred much earlier and was
followed by a secondary effect which lasted at least for
the duration of the experiments.
The data presented in this thesis is interpreted
to suggest that the sites of radiation action for the two
translocation responses are different. In regards to
photoassimilate export, the site of action of ionizing
radiation is the leaf, quite possibly the process of photophosphorylation which may provide energy directly
for phloem loading and for membrane integrity of the
phloem tissue* In regards to the pattern of distribution
of exported photoassimilate, the site is likely the apical
sink, possibly the result of changes of levels of endogenous
hormones. By the selection of radiation exposure dose and
time post-irradiation, it is possible to affect independently
these two processes suggesting that each may be
regulated independent of the other and involves a distinct
site
γ-Hydroxybutyrate accumulation in Arabidopsis and tobacco plants is a general response to abiotic stress: putative regulation by redox balance and glyoxylate reductase isoforms
Enzymes that reduce the aldehyde chemical grouping (i.e. H-C=O) to its corresponding alcohol are probably crucial in maintaining plant health during stress. Succinic semialdehyde (SSA) is a mitochondrially-generated intermediate in the metabolism of γ-aminobutyrate (GABA), which accumulates in response to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses. SSA can be reduced to γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) under oxygen deficiency and high light conditions. Recent evidence indicates that distinct cytosolic and plastidial glyoxylate reductase isoforms from Arabidopsis (designated hereinafter as AtGR1 and AtGR2, respectively) catalyse the in vitro conversion of SSA to GHB, as well as glyoxylate to glycolate, via NADPH-dependent reactions. In the present report, the responses of GHB and related amino acids, as well as NADP+ and NADPH, were monitored in leaves from Arabidopsis or tobacco plants subjected to various abiotic stresses (i.e. Arabidopsis during exposure to salinity, drought, submergence, cold, or heat; tobacco during exposure to, and recovery from, submergence). Time-course experiments revealed that GHB accumulated in both Arabidopsis and tobacco plants subjected to stress, and that this accumulation was generally accompanied by higher GABA and alanine levels, higher NADPH/NADP+ ratio, and lower glutamate levels. Furthermore, the analysis of gene expression in Arabidopsis revealed that the relative abundance of GR1 (salinity, drought, submergence, cold, and heat) and GR2 (cold and heat) transcripts was enhanced by the stress tested. Thus, GHB accumulation in plants is a general response to abiotic stress and appears to be regulated by both biochemical and transcriptional processes
An argument for the use of Aristotelian method in bioethics
The main claim of this paper is that the method outlined and used in Aristotle's Ethics is an appropriate and credible one to use in bioethics. Here “appropriate” means that the method is capable of establishing claims and developing concepts in bioethics and “credible” that the method has some plausibility, it is not open to obvious and immediate objection. It begins by suggesting why this claim matters and then gives a brief outline of Aristotle's method. The main argument is made in three stages. First, it is argued that Aristotelian method is credible because it compares favourably with alternatives. In this section it is shown that Aristotelian method is not vulnerable to criticisms that are made both of methods that give a primary place to moral theory (such as utilitarianism) and those that eschew moral theory (such as casuistry and social science approaches). As such, it compares favourably with these other approaches that are vulnerable to at least some of these criticisms. Second, the appropriateness of Aristotelian method is indicated through outlining how it would deal with a particular case. Finally, it is argued that the success of Aristotle's philosophy is suggestive of both the credibility and appropriateness of his method.</p
Identification and characterization of a plastid-localized Arabidopsis glyoxylate reductase isoform: comparison with a cytosolic isoform and implications for cellular redox homeostasis and aldehyde detoxification
Enzymes that reduce the aldehyde chemical grouping (i.e. H-C=O) to its corresponding alcohol could be crucial in maintaining plant health. Recently, recombinant expression of a cytosolic enzyme from Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh (designated as glyoxylate reductase 1 or AtGR1) revealed that it effectively catalyses the in vitro reduction of both glyoxylate and succinic semialdehyde (SSA). In this paper, web-based bioinformatics tools revealed a second putative GR cDNA (GenBank Accession No. AAP42747; designated herein as AtGR2) that is 57% identical on an amino acid basis to GR1. Sequence encoding a putative targeting signal (N-terminal 43 amino acids) was deleted from the full-length GR2 cDNA and the resulting truncated gene was co-expressed with the molecular chaperones GroES/EL in Escherichia coli, enabling production and purification of soluble recombinant protein. Kinetic analysis revealed that recombinant GR2 catalysed the conversion of glyoxylate to glycolate (Km glyoxylate=34 μM), and SSA to γ-hydroxybutyrate (Km SSA=8.96 mM) via an essentially irreversible, NADPH-based mechanism. GR2 had a 350-fold higher preference for glyoxylate than SSA, based on the performance constants (kcat/Km). Fluorescence microscopic analysis of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) suspension cells transiently transformed with GR1 linked to the green fluorescent protein (GFP) revealed that GR1 was localized to the cytosol, whereas GR2-GFP was localized to plastids via targeting information contained within its N-terminal 45 amino acids. The identification and characterization of distinct plastidial and cytosolic glyoxylate reductase isoforms is discussed with respect to aldehyde detoxification and the plant stress response
Metabolomics demonstrates divergent responses of two Eucalyptus species to water stress
Past studies of water stress in Eucalyptus spp. generally highlighted the role of fewer than five “important” metabolites, whereas recent metabolomic studies on other genera have shown tens of compounds are affected. There are currently no metabolite profiling data for responses of stress-tolerant species to water stress. We used GC–MS metabolite profiling to examine the response of leaf metabolites to a long (2 month) and severe (Ψpredawn < −2 MPa) water stress in two species of the perennial tree genus Eucalyptus (the mesic Eucalyptus pauciflora and the semi-arid Eucalyptus dumosa). Polar metabolites in leaves were analysed by GC–MS and inorganic ions by capillary electrophoresis. Pressure–volume curves and metabolite measurements showed that water stress led to more negative osmotic potential and increased total osmotically active solutes in leaves of both species. Water stress affected around 30–40% of measured metabolites in E. dumosa and 10–15% in E. pauciflora. There were many metabolites that were affected in E. dumosa but not E. pauciflora, and some that had opposite responses in the two species. For example, in E. dumosa there were increases in five acyclic sugar alcohols and four low-abundance carbohydrates that were unaffected by water stress in E. pauciflora. Re-watering increased osmotic potential and decreased total osmotically active solutes in E. pauciflora, whereas in E. dumosa re-watering led to further decreases in osmotic potential and increases in total osmotically active solutes. This experiment has added several extra dimensions to previous targeted analyses of water stress responses in Eucalyptus, and highlights that even species that are closely related (e.g. congeners) may respond differently to water stress and re-waterin
Effects of poly-γ-glutamic acid on serum and brain concentrations of glutamate and GABA in diet-induced obese rats
Poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a mucilaginous and biodegradable compound produced by Bacillus subtilis from fermented soybeans, and is found in the traditional Korean soy product, cheongkukjang. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of γ-PGA from a food source on the concentration of the neurotransmitter GABA and its metabolic precursor glutamate in diet-induced obese rats. Eight-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=60) were used. The rats were divided into two groups and obesity was induced by providing either a 10% control fat or 45% high fat diet for 5 weeks. The rats were then blocked into 6 groups and supplemented with a 0.1% γ-PGA diet for 4 weeks. After sacrifice, brain and serum GABA and glutamate concentrations were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. The rats fed the high fat diet had significantly increased body weights. γ-PGA supplementation significantly increased serum concentrations of glutamate and GABA in the control fat diet groups while this effect was not found in the high fat groups. In the brain, glutamate concentrations were significantly higher in the γ-PGA supplemented groups both in rats fed the normal and high fat diets than in the no γ-PGA controls. GABA concentrations showed the same tendency. The results indicated that γ-PGA intake increased GABA concentrations in the serum and brain. However, the effects were not shown in obese rats
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